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Yanks' roster expands with Berkman and Co.

Yanks' roster expands with Berkman and Co.

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NEW YORK -- With rosters expanding, the Yankees summoned three players from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday while also reinstating designated hitter Lance Berkman from the 15-day disabled list.

Promoted from the Bombers' top Minor League club were right-hander Jonathan Albaladejo, outfielder Greg Golson and catcher Chad Moeller.

Berkman was 2-for-8 with a run scored and a walk in two Minor League rehabilitation games for Double-A Trenton this week, making his way back from a sprained right ankle suffered in an Aug. 15 victory at Kansas City.

Berkman said that he considered the ankle "a non-issue as far as I'm concerned," but with Marcus Thames performing well in the DH role, Berkman anticipates he may miss a few at-bats.

"I'd imagine that I'd still be in there against the right-handed pitchers," Berkman said. "I don't think there would be any change, but if he wants to ride a hot hand here and there, that wouldn't surprise me."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he could see using Golson -- who hit .263 with 10 homers and 40 RBIs in 116 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is in his third stint with New York -- as a pinch-runner or extra outfielder.

Moeller is a third catcher behind Jorge Posada and Francisco Cervelli, but Albaladejo provides an intriguing bullpen option after posting 43 saves and a 1.42 ERA in 57 appearances at Triple-A, striking out at least one batter in 49 outings as an International League All-Star.

"I changed from a sinkerball to a four-seam fastball and started throwing more breaking balls," Albaladejo said. "That and a slider helped me out. The curveball is slow, so it made my fastball look a little harder. I think that was a key for me this year."

"We'll use him when we need him," Girardi said. "He's a guy that give you one-plus innings. We probably wouldn't ask him to do a whole lot more than that. We believe he's a guy that can help us."

In a corresponding roster move to create space for Moeller on the team's 40-man roster, left-hander Damaso Marte was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Girardi said the Yankees were not yet ready to activate rehabbing right-hander Alfredo Aceves, who will instead pitch Thursday at Double-A.